Mayor Ken Welch’s campaign is highlighting new endorsements as the 2026 mayoral race heats up in St. Petersburg. Photo by Mark Parker.
Mayor Ken Welch has secured a fresh wave of endorsements from local leaders as he seeks a second term in St. Petersburg.
State Rep. Michele Rayner, former State Sen. Arthenia Joyner, Pinellas County Commissioner Rene Flowers, and City Council members Copley Gerdes and Deborah Figgs-Sanders have joined the St. Petersburg Association of Fire Fighters and the Suncoast Police Benevolent Association in supporting Welch’s reelection bid.
Monday’s announcement also highlighted previous endorsements from former County Commissioners Pat Gerard and Susan Latvala, and Gulfport City Councilmember Jennifer Webb, also a former state representative. Welch said on Tuesday that partnerships are a “huge part of our success.”
“You don’t get anything accomplished without having significant partners,” Welch told Power Broker Magazine. “So, having those leaders, folks who have done the hard work on the ground, both in times of celebration and in times of challenge, means a lot. And that’s the way we’ll continue to be successful.”
The incumbent’s latest backers credited his leadership amid increasing environmental threats, the affordable housing crisis, and the saga surrounding the pivotal redevelopment of the Historic Gas Plant District.
Flowers said Welch has “faced each challenge with a focus and sheer tenacity required of a change agent leader.” She believes the incumbent is ideally suited to “restore a land forgotten, bring about employment opportunities that move in tandem with the digital age, prepare for a resilient and sustainable coastline, and provide attainable/affordable housing for those most in need.”
“In moments of crisis, residents need leadership that is calm, capable, and focused on results,” Gerdes said in a prepared statement. “Ken Welch has brought exactly that to St. Petersburg’s storm recovery efforts, working to help neighborhoods recover and ensuring the city comes back stronger.”
Welch, who grew up in the Gas Plant, became the city’s first Black mayor in 2022. The announcement notes his focus on strengthening neighborhoods and inclusive economic opportunities.
Some opponents, such as former Shore Acres Neighborhood Association President Kevin Batdorf, have criticized the city’s response to the unprecedented 2024 hurricane season. He and other registered mayoral candidates, including Councilmember Brandi Gabbard, have also questioned Welch’s handling of the Gas Plant proposal process after the Tampa Bay Rays exited an arduously negotiated deal in March 2025.
“The Historic Gas Plant District calls for a steady hand that understands both the weight of the past and the stakes of the future,” said Figgs-Sanders. “Ken Welch has approached that work with care, accountability, and a real commitment to honoring the community’s legacy.”
Welch’s challengers also include former St. Petersburg Fire Chief Jim Large. He recently announced on social media that five former presidents of the St. Petersburg Association of Fire Fighters are supporting his campaign.
Maria Scruggs, former president of the St. Petersburg branch of the NAACP, became the first person to officially enter the 2026 mayoral race in August. The longtime community activist noted that former Gov. Charlie Crist – an expected opponent who has yet to file – endorsed Welch in 2020.
“That doesn’t give me a lot of confidence in the professional political endorsements, which is why I am working hard to secure public endorsements from the people who can vote for me, as opposed to the ones who can write the biggest checks,” Scruggs said.
A political action committee (PAC) supporting Crist’s potential campaign has, through previous and current donations, raised over $1 million. However, the group has not announced any endorsements, nor have Gabbard, Batdorf, or perennial candidate Paul Congemi.
“I am looking forward to the endorsement of the voters when they go to the polls on Aug. 18,” Gabbard said.
Welch remains unconcerned with other candidates or their potential supporters, he said on Tuesday. His campaign will highlight several additional endorsements representing “different parts of the community” from “folks who partner with us to build real progress” throughout the coming months.
“My focus is the team that we put together, both within the city and throughout the community, that are going to propel our continued progress in the second term,” Welch said. “These are folks who live, work, and play in St. Pete, and have been visible and active in our community over the past 4.5 years. And I think that’s important.”
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